Cabinet and the like



'Aug- 9, 1938. J. L. PALLEY ET AL 2,126,134

CABINET 'AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 27, 1937 k ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED STATES CABINET AND THE LIKE James LewisPalley, Pittsburgh, and Edward Werner, Bellevue, Pa., assignors toPalley Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application January 27 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to storage containers and moreparticularly to containers wherein papers or clothing are temporarilyplaced When not being used. 7

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a moistureand dust-proof cabinet that is also sealed against moths or otherinsects.

Another object is the provision of a latch for holding the door oraccess means of the cabinet in proper position to permit the sealingmeans to become effective therewith.

Another object is the provision of a double access means on the cabinetwhich coact with one another and with the sealing means when locked intoposition to prevent dust or insects from entering the cabinet.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing one practical embodiment of the principlesof this invention is illustrated.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rear side of the front of a cabinetwith parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one closure membershowing one form of sealing means.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of another form of thesealing means.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a modified form of thecabinet door jamb.

desks having horizontal drawers and of cabinets having hinged lids orthe ordinary door type wardrobe cabinets is to provide a neat andorderly place in which to temporarily lodge arti- 1 cles not in use.Such cabinets, although made within tolerable precision, do not keep thedust, dirt and moisture out, whether they are opened frequently or not.It is the purpose of this invention to provide a sealing means for suchcabinets to keep them dust and insect proof.

This invention may be conveniently applied to any type of cabinet madeof any desired material, but for the purpose of this disclosure a metalcabinet was thought to be preferable.

Referring to the drawing, I0 represents the cabinet proper. The bottom Ii, top 12, and side walls l3 are formed of sheet metal joined together,as by welding or clinching, so as to form a box with a. sealed unionbetween the parts of the container that were not already integral.

Ordinarily the purpose of filing cabinets or 1937, Serial No. 122,585

The front of the cabinet is formed by extending the bottom, top and sidewalls, making the return sections it of an opening or doorway. The metaladjacent the return section is turned inwardly of the cabinet to formthe jambs, lintel and sill l5 for the outer door 16. The metal is thenfaced off to form the door check ll or the surface against which theouter door it rests and may be sealed to exclude dust. This surface alsoforms a return section for the inner door l8. The metal may again beturned inwardly to form the door jambs, lintel and sill l9for the innerdoor l8 and is faced off as indicated at 29 to form the door check orsurface against which the inner door [8 rests and may be sealed. Thusthe metal is stepped from the front surface of the cabinet to receivethe doors Hi and i8 which, when closed, are substantially flush withtheir respective returns.

It will be noted from Fig. 2 that the exten-- sions 2| of the sidewalls, which form the side returns and the jarnbs to receive the innerand outer doors, extend from the bottom II to the top 12 of the cabinet.These angular portions are braced intermediate of their ends by theextensions 22 from the top l2 and bottom II of the cabinet forming thereturn and the lintel and sill.

Where these sections are joined together they may be lap or butt weldedto one another, thereby producing a rigid frame structure whicheliminates the use of angle iron or other reenforcing members which areordinarily used to strengthen a cabinet of this character. This featureis a decided advantage in fabricating a cabinet and forms one of thenovel advantages of this invention.

Each of the cabinet doors l6 and I8 comprises a, flat section or panel23 having their extreme edges turned inwardly and welded at the corners.The reverse sides of the outer and inner doors are provided withstiffening plates 24 and 25, respectively, which extend longitudinallythereof and are welded thereto to prevent buckling of the door panel.

One or several horizontal stiliening plates 26 may be secured to theouter door [6 to provide additional strength, depending upon the heightof the cabinet. It will be noted that the reenforcing plates 26 and 26on the outer door it may be made to extend beyond the normal thicknessof the door and arranged to engage and press the inner door into itsclosed position. This construction permits the use of a two-door cabinetwherein the inner door need not be provided with separate latches. toprovide latches for each door.

21 represents the latches on the panel of the inner door 18 and arrangedto engage their corresponding catch 28 secured on the return I! inwardlyof the jamb l to permit the outer door to close and seal withoutinterference. The latches 21 are preferably of the wedging type to forcethe door inwardly. The latches shown are similar to those in common useon a window for locking the upper and lower sash together. However, anytype may be used provided itforces the door inwardly when properlyengaged.

Ordinarily the outer door I6 is provided with a single latch 29 arrangedto engage its corresponding catch 30 secured to the return l4 oppositeto the return carrying the door hinges. This latch is preferablydesigned to force the outer door inwardly and the type shown is similarto that commonly used on refrigerators wherein the bolt is provided witha roller arranged to engage a catch having an inclined plane upon whichthe roller rides upwardly to force the door tightly in its closedposition.

3| represents a dust and insect proofing strip that may be secured tothe perimeter of each door and is constructed to be compressed againstthe sealing portions of the door frame when the doors are locked inposition. These strips are preferably made of strip bronze or othermaterial having a spring action. Referring to Fig. 4, 32 represents thesealing lip of the strip 3|. This lip is preferably made substantiallysemi-circular in cross section with its free end having the tendency toflatten out and then turn slightly inwardly. The anchor edge 33 of thestrip starts with a reverse curve from the semi-circular portion and islapped as shown at 34 between the edge 35 and the inturned edge 36 ofthe door. The parts 35, 34, 36 and 33 are then clinched together, makinga tight and rigid anchor structure for the strip. This structure alsostrengthens the door.

When the door is closed the lip 32 engages its corresponding sealingsection, I? or 20, as the case may be. Upon closing the door latch, andthereby forcing the door inwardly, the semi-circular portion of the lip32 bends and the outer edge of the lip has a tendency to slide inwardlytoward the center of the door, thus providing a sliding contact withthe, sealing portion of the door frame, which insures a tight dust andinsect proof contact.

When the latch is released and the door is opened the strip 3| againassumes its normal shape because the material was not deformed beyondits elastic limit.

Referring to Fig. 5, the strip 31 is provided with the lip 38 of thesame character as the lip 32 of Fig. 4. However, the strip 3'! isanchored by interposing the stem portion 39 between the door edge 35 andthe angle member 40 and welding. the parts together.

In Fig. 6 the sealing strips 4| are shown applied to a cabinet structurewherein the door, lintel, sill and jambs 42 are angularly disposed withHowever, it may be preferable respect to the top, bottom and sides,respectively, of the cabinet. In this instance it will be noted that theangular edge of the door need not be disposed at the same angle as thecorresponding angular face of the door frame and it will still beeffective in closing the opening. This construction permits the sealingmember to be compressed before the edge of the door contacts the doorframe and provides an additional seal against dust and insects whenlatched into position. It should also be noted from this modificationthat the lip of the sealing strip 4| engages both the portions I! or 20and 42 to effect a seal. 43 represents a bolt latch having the inclinedsurface 44 arranged to engage the corresponding inclined surface 45 onthe block 46 within the cabinet. The bolts of a lock structure of thistype branch out radially from the center of the door panel and bolt eachof the two or four sides of the door.

These cabinets are being used for storage chests to take the place ofcedar chests and for wardobe closets, lockers, linen closets, medicineor broom cabinets and first aid cabinets in coal mines, mills and thelike. The double door and double looking features are of course notnecessary in some of these applications but they are very desirable inother installations, and especially in first aid cabinets that arerequired to be kept in the most undesirable conditions, such as in amill or coal mine. Some of these first aid cabinets must containblankets and stretchers, as well as medical equipment, and it isnecessary to keep these articles at a certain temperature so that theywill be warm when needed. Thus the double door and sealing meansmaintain the required heat as well as preventing the admittance of dustand humid atmosphere which is another important advantage of thisinvention.

We claim:

1. A cabinet door structure comprising a panel having flange portionsturned normal to the surface of the panel with the free edges of saidflange portions turned toward the panel, a resilient metal sealing striphaving an anchoring portion clinched between the turned back edgeportions and extending outwardly, a lip portion extending from theanchoring portion, the cross section of which is substantiallysemi-circular having a vacant interior and arranged to yieldably engagea sealing surface on the cabinet when the door is closed.

2. A cabinet door structure comprising a panel having its edge portionsturned normal to the surface of the panel, a member extending along theinner side of said edge portions, resilient metal sealing meanscomprising an anchoring portion interposed between said member and. saidedge portions and secured thereto, and a lip portion extending from saidanchoring portion, the cross section of which is substantiallysemi-circular having a vacant interior and arranged to yieldably engagea sealing surface on the cabinet when the door is closed.

JAMES LEWIS PALLEY. EDWARD WERNER.

